Courtyard House: My Wife is Xu Huizhen

Page 466

But we can't just let H. Wood leave like that.

Now that Xu Wude has sold the house, if Qin Huairu doesn't support Jia Zhangshi, wouldn't she have to support her herself?

At that time, everyone was starving, and no one was willing to contribute a single grain of rice to feed Jia Zhangshi.

Yi Zhonghai said, "You can't just ignore her. Why don't you give the job at the steel mill to Jia Zhangshi and let her go to work?"

This was the only solution Yi Zhonghai could think of. As long as she could get a job in the factory, even if Jia Zhangshi just lazed around and did nothing, the factory wouldn't ignore her. The 10-odd yuan a month would be enough for her to live on.

But Xu Wude had already thought of this way out. He shook his head and said, "I forgot to mention earlier that the jobs of Xu Damao and me have been given away to other people."

Back then, jobs could be inherited, and even in the 21st century, there are still many industries and organizations where jobs can be inherited.

For example, a bank president could be one.

It's possible that if Hugh Wood is determined not to return, he might simply transfer his job to someone else and accept bribes.

Yi Zhonghai was immediately filled with disappointment and asked, "You transferred it to someone else so quickly?"

Xu Wude nodded: "Previously, our company dismissed a lot of people from rural areas because they offered higher salaries."

Nowadays, all organizations strictly control the size of their workforce, which has led to a surge in the salaries of every job position.

Good jobs can fetch over 1000 yuan, and even then, demand still exceeds supply.

Jia Zhangqu initially thought he could get a job at the factory, but after hearing what Xu Wude said, he was extremely disappointed.

They really left no way out at all.

However, he wasn't entirely satisfied, since Yi Zhonghai was his backup plan, which was why he absolutely refused to go to the countryside.

Although Jia Dongxu is dead, she is still Yi Zhonghai's child. If Yi Zhonghai dares to ignore her, she will tell everyone and drag Yi Zhonghai down with her.

This is also why Yi Zhonghai has been trying to find a way to get Xu Wude to settle Jia Zhangshi properly.

Yi Zhonghai turned to He Yuzhu and asked, "Your machinery factory must be short-staffed, right?"

He Yuzhu shook his head and said, "We don't lack people; we're planning to streamline a group."

Just kidding. The machine factory may be short of people, but it doesn't need someone like Jia Zhangdi.

What can she do inside?

As long as he goes in and does a day's work, he can rely on the machinery factory to support him in his old age.

He Yuzhu made up his mind to call the neighborhood committee soon and explain the situation to them. He said that it was absolutely impossible for Jia Zhangshi to be put into the machinery factory.

Yi Zhonghai was somewhat disappointed, but it was understandable. He really had no idea how to settle Jia Zhangshi.

"If I have nothing more to say, I'll head back," said Hulwood.

Jia Zhangshi got up from the ground and shouted, "What if I divorce Xu Damao?"

He knew that it was because he had married Xu Damao that he was disliked by Xu Wude's family.

It's absolutely impossible for him to leave the courtyard house and go to the countryside on his own.

Seeing that Xu Wude was really leaving, she panicked.

Holding the title of being married to Xu Damao won't make any difference.

If Xu Damao were to find another woman in the countryside, have children, and never return to Beijing, no one would even know.

It would be better to divorce Xu Damao while Xu Wude is still around.

This can also be used as leverage to extort money.

Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up. How come he hadn't thought of this?

"Yes, Lao Xu, if Jia Zhangshi is willing to divorce, would you agree?"

That's exactly what Xu Wude wanted to hear; otherwise, he wouldn't have wasted so much time talking to them.

The goal was to drive Jia Zhang District to the brink of despair, cutting off all other avenues, leaving only this last straw as a means of survival to exchange for some money.

"This matter? You, Jia Zhangshi, are you willing to get a divorce?"

Jia Zhangshi said, "I'll only agree to a divorce if you find me a job."

Xu Wude turned and left. It was a joke; nowadays, even a temporary worker can be sold for 500 yuan.

How could it be possible for Xu Wude to take out 500 yuan out of his own pocket to buy Jia Zhangshi a job?

"Your expectations are too high."

Xu Wude left those words behind and watched as they exited through the moon gate.

Yi Zhonghai called out, "Old Xu, come back, let's discuss this again."

"What's there to discuss? Isn't this just wishful thinking? One job is almost worth the cost of three houses."

Yi Zhonghai asked, "Then give Jia Zhangshi 300 yuan, and she can go get a divorce."

Jia Zhangshi said, "Yes, I want three hundred yuan. Give me three hundred yuan and I will go and divorce Xu Damao."

He also had money on hand. Jia Dongxu received more than 100 yuan in compensation, and he had saved three or four hundred yuan before. If he didn't work, he would have enough money to spend in a short period of time.

If they could get another 300 yuan, that would be a considerable sum.

Xu Wude shook his head and said, "300 yuan is too much. I'll only give you 100."

Madam Jia said angrily, "Are you trying to send away a beggar?"

Xu Wude said, "If I just leave, I won't spend a penny. Xu Damao can still get married and have children in his hometown."

Aren't you afraid I'll sue you?

Hulwood shook his head: "Can you find any evidence?"

Jia Zhangshi was immediately rendered speechless.

Yi Zhonghai said, "But 100 yuan is too little."

After some discussion, they finally agreed on a price of 200 yuan, and Xu Damao and Jia Zhangshi went directly to the neighborhood committee to complete the divorce procedures.

After they came out of the courtyard of the street, Yi Zhonghai and Jia Zhangshi left first.

The Xu sisters, Zhaodi and Xiaomei, were reluctant to part, and tears welled up in their eyes.

"Father, can you not leave?"

Hüwood suddenly laughed and said, "Who told you we were going back to the countryside?"

Chapter 332 The House Scandal

Xu Zhaodi was stunned. Xu Xiaomei wiped away her tears, then stared wide-eyed and asked:

"Father, what do you mean by that?"

Xu Wude then said, "I was just trying to scare Jia Zhangshi. Don't you think about it? If we go back to our hometown to farm, won't we starve to death?"

"Then why are you still buying a house?"

Xu Wude said, "The courtyard house is really going to be sold. With Jia Zhangshi there, the house is uninhabitable!"

Xu Wude briefly explained that this was the solution he had come up with after much thought and brainstorming.

Jia Zhangshi is like a leech; once it's stuck on, it's impossible to peel it off.

Without special methods, it would be impossible to get Jia Zhangshi and Xu Damao to divorce.

By selling her house and job, Jia Zhangshi was truly going to return to her rural hometown. Having not done farm work for so many years, she was definitely unwilling.

Having left the courtyard house and the steel mill, and arrived in an unfamiliar environment, Jia Zhangshi could no longer use her usual tantrums and unreasonable behavior.

Jia Zhangshi was even worried that she might be killed by Xu Damao in an unfamiliar place.

He would absolutely never agree to go to Hulwood's hometown.

Xu Wude was genuinely selling the house, but his sale of the job was a pretense; he put on a show to make Jia Zhangshi believe it was real.

If the people leave, Jia Zhangshi will have nothing.

As expected, Jia Zhangshi fell for the trick and offered to divorce him in exchange for benefits.

The two sisters stopped crying, and Xu Xiaomei said angrily, "Dad, you are so mean! You didn't even tell us beforehand, and now I've shed so many tears."

Although Xu Xiaomei was very angry with her parents in previous years, so many years have passed and her anger has almost subsided.

And this time, with her parents really leaving on a long journey, she shed many tears.

Xu Wude smiled sheepishly: "Of course I can't tell you. This method can only be used once. It has to be kept secret from everyone. Otherwise, if Jia Zhangshi finds out, I don't have a second way to make them divorce."

He Yuzhu asked, "Where will you be living from now on?"

Xu Wude said, "We won't be living near Jiaodaokou anymore. We plan to go to the south of the city to find a place to buy a house."

"Then I'll have to travel a long way to work from now on."

"This is also something that can't be helped."

Xu Wude worked at the Workers' Club cinema, while Xu Damao was still at the steel rolling mill.

One is in the suburbs outside Dongzhimen, and the other is near the Bell Tower. If you want to live in the southern part of the city, you will have to cross the entire capital.

"I'll see if I have the chance to buy a house near the movie theater later," said Xu Wude.